1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pedal system designed to generate a vehicle output or a vehicle output command in a vehicle based on a pedal effort, and a vehicle system with such a pedal system.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, the motion of a vehicle is determined by a driving force or a braking force provided by a driver, and in general, the driver drives the vehicle by depressing a pedal. Therefore, characteristics such as a pedal travel possessed by a pedal system, a pedal reaction force, a driving force for a vehicle and a braking force for the vehicle are factors determining an operational feeling, an ease of operation, a liability to fatigue and the like.
On the other hand, a conventional pedal is mechanically connected to an accelerator wire and a master cylinder and hence, the characteristics of the pedal are determined exclusively by the mechanism of the pedal. In recent years, however, the relationship of a pedal travel or a reaction force or a driving force and a braking force for a vehicle can be determined as desired in virtue of a technology called a so-called by-wire, and the examinations and investigations have been repeatedly made for how to control the relationship of the pedal travel or the reaction force or the driving force and the braking force for the vehicle. For example, there is a technique of a pedal system known from JP-A-2000-142369, which is designed so that the braking operation can be carried out easily by decreasing the stroke of a pedal travel during depression of a pedal, so that a motion of a lower leg can be made smaller.